The young man behind the worldwide Pink Shirt Day movement is visiting two New Westminster schools on Friday.
Travis Price and his friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied. That event spawned an anti-bullying initiative where people wear pink on a single day each year to help bring a end to bullying.
Price will deliver his inspirational story and message about acceptance, respect and empowerment at Queensborough Middle School from 9 to 9:45 a.m., and at New Westminster Secondary, in the large Massey Gym, from 10 to 10:30 a.m.
Price was impressed with New Westminster Secondary School's RespectEd program, an anti-bullying program at the high school. Price saw RespectEd students at a recent training event and was impressed with students' passion and the custom pink shirt they designed for this year's Pink Shirt Day.
"I have 36 pink shirts in my wardrobe, and this is by far the best one I have," Price said in the release. "When I found out I was coming back to Vancouver, I insisted that I visit New Westminster."
NWSS RespectED student facilitators have presented to 36 grades 6 and 7 classrooms and more than 1,000 students.
The students have also been featured in the national Red Cross bullying Prevention Campaign and are the stars of a new Canadian Red Cross video demonstrating the workshop they deliver in the classroom.
"These kids are passionate, humble, and hardworking. It seems these opportunities keep pursuing them. It's hard to believe what they have accomplished in their first 14 months of existence, and now even Travis Price is aware of the work they are doing," Ashley Currie, district community school coordinator and RespectED advisor, said in the release. "We are very proud of them. It's a reminder and that there are young people out there doing amazing work in our community, and a great example of what can happen when you focus your energy on making a difference."
Grade 6-8 students from the elementary and middle schools have also been invited to attend Friday's event, and it is suggested that attendees wear pink in honour of the event.
